The Door to My House
by King Reepicheep
Summary: The life, romances, friendships, trials and tribulations of Reepicheep the Mouse in his own words. A mix of genres including: adventure, romance, hurt/comfort, tragedy, humor, and friendship. AU: Pre-PC to VDT.
1. Note to the Reader

**The Door to My House**

**Author's Note: **This entire story is from Reepicheep's prospective and it details his culture, history, and time in the service during the events of Prince Caspian. Do not expect this story to follow one hundred percent canon. This is also an experiment on character development, romance, and long detailed epics.

Thank you, now I shall leave you in capable hands.

Any explanation of new concepts (such as words, places, etc. that are not of the canon) will be explained in a footnote type of author's note.

Enjoy.

**Theme Song: **"Where I Belong" by Swtichfoot (on their _Vices Verses_ album)

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_A Note to the Reader:_

If you are expecting this to be grandiose, accurate to truth or simple full of folly then I honestly don't know why you have come.

Perhaps you are expecting this to be an epic tale that paints me to be an unmoving aegis for justice or even worse, a perfect soul whose only flaw according to most records is: believed in something too much.

Perhaps you are hoping this to be true to what you know, that this follows the same story you know me to tell, the one about the gallivanting crusader, the poetic lyricist or the motivation behind brotherhood between unlikely pairs of people.

Perhaps you are expecting this to be a misadventure, where I recklessly plunge myself into situation after another and as if by happenstance, come across a soul worse than me and save them from the pitiful state that is misery and the incredible power that is disillusion.

If you expect those particular details and circumstances to be on the following pages then I suggest you read something else.

For this is not about me.

I know, the title is misleading, but just to clarify, it only _features_ me, but it isn't necessarily _about_ me. I am merely the wheel that these casts of players (which are many in number) ride on to tell it.

Best Regards,

Reepicheep H.D.


	2. Chapter One: The Complexities of Birth

_Chapter One: The Complexities of Birth and Names_

If you ask me my birth was rather simple. If you ask my mother she would tell you (if she were still alive that is) that it was happiest pain in her life. Bearing seven at once and going through several weeks of labor (with a full share of migraines), she had the upmost resilience throughout the whole ordeal. My father did me the kindness of transcribing the details and told it like this:

_She took the pain rather well. It did not faze her mentally or physically and it appeared that she would deliver within the next two weeks. It was apparent, according to our physician (Dukes Marmon), that the contractions will continue to worsen and the migraines are to be expected. He also told me the chance of mortality which was extremely high- "practically inevitable" he said. I simply ignored that bit of news, taking it as a sign of ill-faith had I adhered to it. Anyway, the two weeks were drastically shortened to five days. In the span of those five days, she talked of her headaches and her pains and I simply gave the prescribed medication (a small dose of opium) and went on with my business. When the day finally came I honestly did not know what to do or what to believe anymore. She fought and strived and proceeded with each of you and then when the seventh and last breathed air she was gone. To say that she was the love of my life would be an understatement. To say that she was a saint was a stretch- but to say that she lacked the heart of one was a disgrace to her memory. I remember the last words she audibly spoke; "To sacrifice your life for another is to…" she never finished the phrase._

To tell you a truth father, I have never been able to finish it either.

So it was with my mother dead that we seven came into the world. It is safe to point out that although I never heard her name be said (and I still do not know it), I understood what her final thought was our lives. All of us living, breathing and dying all came to her in a millisecond. I suppose that's why my father spoke so highly of her and said that she died with the biggest smile that he had ever seen on a face.

The naming ceremony, according to custom and tradition, is a public event in which all of the tribesmen, the King of Milland and the Dauphin of the Great Dominion come to witness. The proceedings are as follows:

The Chief, which at the time of my birth was my father, would speak first. He would give a brief salutation and introduce the King of Milland.

The King of Milland, which was always a Great Horned Owl, came from a people whose history runs so far into the soils of the continent that it is said that their first King, King Vernier was the father of all the birds that now inhabit the world. Vernier, along with his people, settled to the west of the Western Wood, founded a society and eventually developed close relations with Telmar. Along the way however, the Telmar betrayed them and invaded. The Millanders then migrated to the border, which they then formed an alliance with the native people, most notably The River Mice. At first the relationship between us and them (by 'us' I mean the River Mice, for we were the direct contact) was full of mutual disrespect. The only reason we acknowledged each other was because we realized the political necessity. They needed assistance is reclaiming their government and we required their help in containing a deadly flea virus. We weren't necessarily affected by it, but most everyone (who wasn't a rodent) was. So we bickered and quarreled but eventually came round to agreeing with each other. All that was required was reinforcement (and a slight use of bio-terrorism) in order for Milland to be reconquered and all that was needed from us was more frequent bathing rituals. After all had been said and done the respect (and trade) grew between us and them and by the time of my birth we had formed a loose pact.

The introduction of this King was to be something along the lines of: "Introducing the Lord of the West, Keeper of The Tribe Milland and Protector of the Forest, Your Highness, King (insert name here)"

After the King of Milland spoke a brief word of welcome, he would then proceed to introduce the Dauphin of the Great Dominion.

The Dauphin of the Great Dominion, which was (similar to that of Kings of Milland), a hawk or falcon whose sole purpose was to reap souls whose times had come and deal with the explanation of grief and loss. Some consider this work to be unjustified murder and rightfully they should, for it is at first, a barbaric act of malice. However, when one breaks it down, the Dauphin isn't someone who would naturally fit the bill of psychopathic murderer, much like the Grim Reaper isn't necessarily an evil spirit of misery. Rather, the Dauphin is a harbinger of death but also one of the coming life. Which is why he is called the Benevolent Dauphin of the Great Dominion because that is exactly what the position is, a kindness and a blessing that goes without saying much else.

The Dauphin would be introduced very similarly to: "Introducing the Supersede of Me, the Ruler of the Air and Servant to Him who bequeathed the Sky, the Benevolent Dauphin of the Great Dominion (insert name here)."

After this, the King of Milland would suggest a name for the firstborn. This name would be something of importance to all three parties and then once the name has been given, the Chief, the King and the Dauphin would mutually agree upon it. The first name to be said was Vitus Mae, which in all dialects and languages spoken there meant "Vital to Us". Agreeable, not my particular choice, but then again, I was in the naming lot so my opinion on the matter is somewhat belated.

The next, the second child to be born (for we were all placed in the order in which we were born) was given the name Siphon Samuel which meant "Preserver of the Water Reservoir". Needed I'd say but not necessarily a good thing to be called. It doesn't necessarily do much good in defense, when someone asks your name and you speak "Siphon Samuel" they would simply pass you over.

The third, me, was given the most literal name in all of history, Reepicheep (Hartwin) Daren, which, in case you are wondering, means "The Keeper of the Book of Daren" An admirable and noble position, but one that requires tedious bookwork and scribal technique. (The Hartwin piece, is Milliandish for "brave friend" and this name was given to me much later).

The fourth, my younger, was called Cadmus Fax, which means "Dragon Slayer". To be honest, it is the name that my father, or to be specific, the Chief gives out. The one that is most anticipated, overhyped and extremely unlikely to foresee in terms of prophecy. It is also (historically speaking that is) the most ironic name given- it does not matter if the Chief gives the name or an esteemed Priest (who are called Dion) does, the fourth child has always been cursed with irony and/or a stroke of bad luck and isn't statistically held to much favor.

The fifth, my second younger, was called Belleros Chi, his first name translates to "Saint". Chi however, is lost to me, but most likely it means "of the world", for one can only guess at this point. This was the only child that the Dauphin of the Great Dominion solely named, this was because of a tradition that basically says that by this time of day the Dauphin would be required to make his Weaving Rounds (which, in layman's terms means "to hunt in the evening, flying in a weaving pattern through the canopy") but would choose not to. The Dauphin also usually names this child after himself. So in this case, the Dauphin who was present was named Belleros.

The sixth was given the name Alfaxion, which, in the same tradition of the fifth, was given to the King of Milland, and was usually named after the present King. I have been told by several Millanders that Alfaxion is an old Milliandish phrase meaning "Venture into the Light".

The seventh was lost during the ceremony, having not the strength to survive. It was a solemn occasion, one that met with tears from all of us. This name would have been preserved for the populace, a name of the people, and upon this dismal turn, the people gave the child the only name befitting. Marro Sae, "Song of the Heart".

So the heirs and future of the tribe and community were blessed with a name and occupation at once and we were each given an allotted mentor when our age of training (in mental, physical and technique) came around. Each of the elders, the Chief, the King and the Dauphin were given two. Our father chose Vitus and Cadmus. The Dauphin (who was required to choose the one he named), choose Belleros and Siphon. I was left with Alfaxion under the care and watchful eye of the Milland King.

As for the specific date of my birth and this ceremony, I honestly do not know. There are no records of this (for we tend to rely on orators to record history and someone did not dictate that particular information). I have always assumed however that it had to have occurred sometime late December and mid-January for there were always six celebrations at once and a seventh day of reflection of the previous year. So as to how old I am, I honestly cannot tell you specifically but I can say that I have seen ten wheat harvests.

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_**Milland**_: also referred to throughout as The Land of the Foresaken West. It is the land beyond the Western Woods, south of Telmar, west of Narnia and northwest of Archenland.

_**Milliandish:**_ the language of Milland

_**The Dauphin of the Great Dominion:**_ oversser of the sky appointed by Aslan to watch over the sky and to reap souls.


End file.
